


Objection!

by Glitchee_huh



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, I'm Bad At Tagging, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, More character tags once they show up, Mutual Pining, No Smut, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Third Person Limited, Plot Driven, Slow Burn, Though it is kind of one sided for the first few chapters or so, ace attorney - Freeform, no beta we die like men, sort of ooc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:08:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29891973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glitchee_huh/pseuds/Glitchee_huh
Summary: In the city of Essempe the law and those who were supposed to protect it have become corrupt. Evidence can't be trusted, people aren't willing to talk. What can a mere defense attorney with a magic charm do to combat this dark age of the law? Well, plenty, if he's fighting alongside the right people.Disclaimer: I don't ship the real people, these are just the online personas. There is some usage of real names but it's because their persona names don't really fit this universe. I'm still gonna make use of pun names because it's a huge thing in Ace Attorney
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Zak Ahmed/Darryl Noveschosch
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Objection!

**Author's Note:**

> This took awhile but I'm glad to finally post the first chapter. Just a few notes so y'all who haven't played the games aren't in the dark, in this universe there is no jury and everything is like a real court except extremely unfair for the defendant. The main characters in the Ace Attorney games always have some sort of ability or device that make uncovering the truth easier, so I gave Dream something like that, you'll see how it works later. This is all a very dramatized version of how actual court works; I'm mirroring the game's flare and honestly trying to make it more interesting to read than accurate descriptions of how the US legal system works lol. The games also use pun names so I wanted to use them as well, for example Sapnap's name is Nicholas(Nick) Dimes like Nickels and Dimes but it still sometimes referred to by his nickname, Sapnap. Anyways, I hope this clears something up. Hope you enjoy it!

"That is enough pressing, Mr.Stonewell. Do you have any objections to this witness' testimony?"

_ How could I?! With testimony like that even I'm starting to think my client did it... _

"It's obvious that my witness is telling the truth, your honor. There is nothing to present because there are no holes in her testimony. We might as well end the trial here." The prosecutor, a man by the name of Wilbur Soot, announced from across the courtroom. "The evidence perfectly backs up the witness' testimony, there is no room for error." He flipped his head to the side, nudging his hair out of his face before it fell back in front of his eyes.

"I...I..."

_ C'mon, Dream! Think of something! Bluff! _

The defense attorney slammed his open palms onto the desk. "I object! This witness' testimony is not conclusive evidence, your honor. We can't finish the trial until we've proved, without a doubt, whether or not my client is guilty."

The courtroom broke out in hushed chatter, shocked and appalled by the defense's bold nature. They were quickly silenced by the banging of a gravel. "Order, order!" The Judge turned to Dream. "While I agree that testimony isn't conclusive, everything else we've been presented with is. If you can't find any holes in this testimony your client will be found guilty. So tread carefully, Mr.Stonewell."

He felt the world fade around him, the court disappeared and all he could see was his own hands.

_ This is bad...this is really bad! What can I do?! Even the evidence I provided was turned against me _

Dream held a small piece of metal in his hand. It was a pin in the shape of a sword, given to him by his grandmother before her unfortunate passing. He only discovered it's supernatural properties during his first trial.

_ All I can do is fight until the bitter end _

His hand clenched around the small sword. "Your honor, I'd like to continue the cross-examination..."

**. . .**

It was a failure. A total, utter, colossal flop that would be on his record forever. Defeated in one hour? Pathetic.

It was hard for Dream to watch his client get escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs, even more difficult to see the triumphant smirk on Prosecutor Soot's face. "Don't take it too hard, Stonewell. It's not your fault that man was a wrongen." The prosecutor patted him on the shoulder, and it would've been sportsmanlike if not for the shit-eating grin plastered on his face. "I mean it is your fault for defending him, but that's besides the point!"

Hiding his small grin from Wilbur was almost impossible, and the chuckle that followed reassured their bantering ways. " 'Wrongen'? Really? You've been hanging around that kid way too much, Wilbur." The two exploded into a fit of laughter, getting stares from the other people filing in and out of the lobby. "Just be careful when you say that, green boy. Last time Tommy caught me calling him the 'K' word, he about bit my ear off!" Dream rolled his eyes playfully as the pair exited the lobby, carrying a lighthearted conversation as they made their way outside.

This became the norm after their first few trials together. Anybody spectating their legal battles would swear on their life that the two were sworn enemies, and in a way they were. In the courtroom their debates were cut throat. After all, the fate of the defendant rested in their hands. "In all seriousness, that guy was clearly guilty. Why did you defend him?" Dream audibly gulped, knowing the answer made him look as scummy as he felt. "Ah- well, uh. Cases have been kind of sparse lately so uh...I can't be as picky as I used to be. And sure it'll ruin my reputation but the damage is worth affording rent this month." He shrugged, turning his attention to his shoes as they neared the courthouse steps.

"I can't necessarily blame you, I know Techno's been there from time to time. 'Just wish it didn't have to come to that." Wilbur sighed before joining the silence. It wasn't long before he decided to speak up again. "Though many attorneys aren't even getting trials nowadays, right? I mean, Techno's suddenly started losing trials recently. And it's all because of that stupid prosecutor!" Wilbur crossed his arms and huffed childishly. "He shows up whenever he feels like it, and even though he's highly unprofessional he's never penalized. He may not be doing much more than a normal prosecutor but his mannerisms tend to sway the court." The prosecutor ran a hand through his fluffy hair, pouting with his eyes glued to the ground. "People like him make the rest of us prosecutors look like complete arseholes...I mean, you can see past one rotten apple but all the other attorneys give me these awful glares. All thanks to Prosecutor Notfound..." He grumbled, scuffing his shoe like a petulant child.

"Prosecutor Notfound? I mean, I've heard a good amount of outrageous and strangely accurate names in court, but seriously?" Dream questioned, to which the other man chuckled. "Ah, it's just a little nickname that you understand once you've been in a trial with him. It's like he's not even there, y'know? His real name is Prosecutor Nolfond, but I don't think he'd even blink if you used the nickname. It's annoying, honestly." Wilbur sighed, and they silently agreed that was the end of the conversation.

Once the pair reached the bottom of the courthouse steps, Dream cleared his throat. "I'm gonna go down to the station to see Sapnap. See you next time, yeah?" He grinned politely as Wilbur nodded back, mirroring the expression. "Of course." And with that they split ways, continuing with their normal yet not-so-normal lives.

. . .

Dream wandered into the Criminal Affairs department of the Essempe police station expecting to see his favorite detective. What he didn't expect was for the room of desks to be empty, save for someone sitting on one as they read through a file.

He walked closer to the person on the desk, slowly taking in their features as he approached. All that dream could gather from their looks alone was that their hair was brown, their skin was pale as if the sun was a foreign concept, and their legs dangled off the desk, meaning that they were somewhat short. Dream assumed he was male, and if he was wrong he'd simply correct himself later. The man definitely wasn't a detective, he was dressed in what could be considered casual and somewhat formal at the same time. A navy blue argyle sweater over a white button down and black slacks. What he found odd were his gloves and the pair of clout goggles resting over his eyes. The gloves were most likely his own, used for handling evidence. The clout goggles just looked kind of funny. "Are you gonna say something or continue gawking at me?" A voice, presumably from the only other person in the room, spoke in a British accent.

Dream straightened up immediately, face somewhat reddening as he made eye contact with the man atop the desk. The stranger gave him an incredulous look before speaking up again. "Are you a new detective? A trainee, perhaps?" The questions fell on deaf ears, and Dream only realised he was being talked to when a pair of fingers snapped in front of his eyes.

The desk guy was standing, only a few inches from Dream. His assumptions about the man's height were correct, a difference of around half a foot or so. "Ah, I'm sorry. Just got lost in my thoughts. Er- my name's Clay. Clay Stonewell, defense attorney, though everyone just calls me Dream. And you are?" He politely held his hand out for a handshake, a smile gracing his features. The shorter man's eyes darted behind the glasses from his hand to his gaze before taking up the offer. "Just call me George. Last names are such a pain."

Dream broke the handshake and brought his hand back to his side, feeling an awkward tension in the air. "So you're the mysterious type, hm? Well, I think there are a few things I can figure out." The words seemed to catch George's attention so he continued. "Well, you're sitting in a police precinct reading a file, you obviously belong here otherwise someone would've kicked you out by now. Your outfit is put together well and it's not a uniform so you aren't an officer, and probably not a detective. So you're either a defense attorney or a prosecutor." Dream finished with a small smirk.

What he couldn't guess was why the man began snickering. He held his hand in front of his face, little giggles slipping out sporadically. Dream's face reddened. "Defense attorneys always make me laugh. You're so persistent, and once somebody confirms your wild claims your eyes gleam like a child's on Christmas." His laughing subsided, a gloved hand coming up to push white clout goggles into his dark brown hair. "I am indeed a prosecutor, but you only really deduced that I wasn't a police officer, at least one that would wear a uniform. You of all people should know that they'd never let some random lawyer just loiter around the department for long. Though it is a trend among you defense attorneys, presenting half-baked theories and waiting for me to pick up the pieces." George rolled his heterochromatic eyes, grin falling into an annoyed frown. "It's tiring. Sometimes I just don't bother showing up to a trial if the case is that obvious." The shorter crossed his arms before something else caught his attention.

"Though I doubt you're at the police precinct to talk to a prosecutor. Who are you looking for?" Dream internally sighed in relief. For some reason he couldn't bear the thought of this prosecutor hating him. "Actually, yeah, I am looking for someone. Have you seen Sap- er, Detective Dimes?" Dream brought the palm of his hand to the back of his neck, a polite smile resting on his lips. Not that George could see it behind the cloth mask covering his nose and mouth. "He's supposed to be here but...well, you're the only other person here so I thought..." He trailed off.

"Detective Dimes? Actually, I have seen him. I asked him to-" George cut himself, mind going blank as he caught himself rambling. "Actually, that isn't really any of your business." The prosecutor tugged the obnoxious clout goggles back over his eyes. His whole body seemed to close up, as if telling Dream to ignore it. He cleared his throat. "Anyways, the detective left just before you got here. I don't know when he'll be back but it shouldn't be long." He began tugging at his gloves, and Dream couldn't help but notice the nervous movement.

_ He's probably hiding something...maybe I should look into this _

Dream ran his hand over the sword pin on his lapel and pulled it from it's position, clenching it tightly in his fist. The world around him faded to black, and the only thing visible was the figure in front of him.

"I do have a few questions for you, if you wouldn't mind chatting while we wait for the detective. Just some stuff about prosecutorial duties and all." He lied through his teeth. George hesitated. He looked into Dream's eyes for a split second before nodding with caution. "So, George, what did you ask the detective to do for you?"

Sure enough the pin did it's work, and a set of diamond armor encased the shorter man. In his hand appeared a diamond shield.

_ His secret...it must be something truly awful if he's this intent on hiding it _

"I don't think that's of your concern, Mr.Stonewell." His tone turned cold again, ironically something so cold made Dream start to sweat. "Well I've decided that it is. And I'm not going to drop this until you give me an answer. Don't even think of lying, I'll know."

The prosecutor hesitated before sighing. "I just asked him to get something for me. Are you done making a big deal about this?" Dream shook his head. "No, I'm not. What did you ask the detective to give you?"

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before George spoke up again, an unprecedented smirk on his lips. "Well, mister defense attorney, you've stated before how good you are with deductions. So let's have a little crack at those skills, hm? Tell me, what *did* I ask the detective to give me?" He prompted with a cocky tone.

_ How obnoxious. Though, oddly, I can't bring myself to hate this man _

The defense attorney scoffed. "Well that's an easy answer. I assume you're being patient, given your body language and the fact you were sitting on the desk, which means this most likely has nothing to do with a current case." He felt his weapon appear in his hand; an iron sword.

_ Not exactly the strongest weapon, but my evidence will be enough to prove the smallest bit of information _

"And you were already reading a file when I saw you, so he must be getting a piece of physical evidence for you..." Dream's lips curved up into a smile as he felt wind rush past his face, his feet left the ground and he was ready to strike. "You asked Nick to give you a piece of physical evidence from an older case!"

He landed two hits onto George's helmet and watched it crack.

_ It didn't break...? Looks like there's more to this piece of the puzzle _

"Hey, George, I got that- oh! What's up, Dream!" A loud voice broke through Dream's concentration, shattering the void around the two attorneys in one fell swoop. George turned to the person and visibly relaxed. "Ah, thank you, Nick- er- Detective Dimes." He quickly grabbed the plastic bag that the detective was holding and turned back to face Dream. He was frowning. "Well it was nice talking to you but I'm afraid I must leave. Oh, and Stonewell, was it?" Dream nodded. "I'd suggest staying out of my personal life, Mr.Stonewell. I won't let you ruin everything I've worked for." They shared a final cold stare, deep into each other's souls, before the prosecutor took his leave.

"Well that was...something. I mean most people kinda hate George but I didn't think you'd have any beef with him." Dream's neck practically snapped with how fast he turned to face the other man. "Most people? Hate? Sapnap, I have no idea what you're talking about. Why would I have a problem with some random prosecutor? And why do other people have problems with him, anyways?"

Sapnap stared, eyes empty and confused, before realization flickered between them. "Ooohhhh, that's right! You've never had a trial with George! Well, more like you've never been stood up during a trial." He chuckled as Dream gave him a confused glance before moving over to the desk the prosecutor was sitting on. "Stood up? Wait...was that guy prosecutor Notfound?"

Sapnap nodded. "So you  _ have _ heard of him. Most defense attorneys hate him, but I wasn't really sure about you. I honestly can't blame anyone for thinking he's annoying, mostly 'cuz he is." He shrugged with a lazy grin.

"You're friends with him, right?" The detective nodded. "Then how come you're talking about him like this?" Dream bristled slightly, throwing Sapnap for a loop. "Well, uh...it doesn't really seem to affect him. If he ever told me it bothered him I'd stop, but..." He trailed off and began playing with one of the ends of his white bandanna. That thing was always against the precinct dress code but he still somehow got away with it. "Why are you so upset about this? You're a nice guy and all, but you barely even know him."

Dream's eyes darted back down to the desk, landing on the file left behind by the escaping prosecutor. "Did you bring this file to him?"

Sapnap scoffed. "You're avoiding my question." The detective moved closer to the desk and opened the file. "But to answer yours, kind of. This is the copy of a file from a case that was closed, like, half a year ago. I gave it to him last week. 'Pretty sure he brings it with him everywhere."

_ Hm. Maybe I can use this next time we talk _

Dream moved his hand down and hesitated before opening the file. He began reading through it as Sapnap briefly explained from over his shoulder.

"So a year ago this kid from a trainee squad went missing. The weird thing was nobody could find anything about him. All the information available was his first name, age, weight, blood type and a few pictures to use for identification. The search went on for a month before they just stopped looking. 'Not like he had any family looking for him either. Everyone gave up on this guy." Dream looked back to Sapnap, seeing the detective on the brink of tears. He was always the emotional type, passionate in everything he did. "It wasn't a huge thing and the media couldn't get a story because there wasn't any outrage to begin with; absolutely *no one* outside of the police knew this guy was missing. But, a month after the initial search, someone finally found him. It was that Schlatt guy, the current Chief of Police. He was admitted to the hospital but...couldn't remember anything. Schlatt visited the hospital every single day over the next two months and helped him regain his memory. Thanks to his effort in closing the case, Schlatt ended up being promoted to Chief of Police, and asked the guy who went missing to be his right hand man. There should've been more discourse about it but everyone was so happy for this kid that they just...didn't mind. Well they did but nobody wanted to speak up. Schlatt's crazy, man." Sapnap sighed, closing the file. "But I guess that's what makes him so good at this. He's insane and never lets things go."

The detective picked up the file, holding it close to his chest. "Anyways, I don't get why George of all people wanted to look into this. The case was never brought to court." He turned to walk away, towards his own desk. "I'll just keep this copy safe for him until he comes back."

Before Sapnap could place the file in his desk, Dream's hand shot out to grab it. "Ah- wait! C-could I possibly have this file?" He tugged it towards himself and into his arms leaving Sapnap in a stupor. "I- why? You literally know nothing about this case."

"I...I can run it over to his office, if you'd like. I have nothing else to do today. We can still meet up later for dinner like we planned." Dream muttered, playing with the edge of the file.

_ Why am I doing this? Well, I do want to talk to him again. People with diamond armor don't keep small secrets... _

Sapnap stared at Dream blankly. Amber eyes bounced back and forth between green before resting, a shit eating grin slowly bleeding across his face. "Ahhhh, so you wanna go drop this off to him? Well if that's the case I'll drive you over there. You  _ did _ promise to pay for burgers tonight, after all, and I'm not about to let that go." Sapnap snatched his keys from his pocket, spinning them around his finger for show. The taller scoffed, "Fine, fine. I'd rather take a ride with you than a taxi. Lead the way, Sappy Nappy." Dream clapped his hand on the detective's back.

...

The prosecutor's building was as imposing as ever. At 30 stories tall, it was considered a gem among the city of Essempe. A beautiful palace of justice where the prosecutors that help protect the city would prepare for trials.

Well that's how citizens saw it.

If you were a defense attorney, like Dream, it was the equivalent of shark infested waters. He was a human, floating in imminent danger with Nick as his cage, keeping the bloodthirsty prosecutors away.

So basically nobody would ask Dream why he was there if Nick was walking beside him.

"Remember, we can't use nicknames in there. At least not in the hallways. It's not a huge deal but I have been written up by random snobs who like to keep a 'professional environment' " he punctuated his point with air quotes, " whatever that's supposed to mean." Dream scoffed and gently punched the detective in the shoulder. "It means they don't want some  _ plebeians _ dirtying their  _ sanctuary of justice _ ." He mocked in a posh accent. The pair burst into laughter, eventually calming down as they stepped over the threshold.

The lobby was somewhat normal, albeit too quiet. The woman at the front desk waved them over. "Hello! My name is Niki, how may I help you?" She smiled politely. It was a breath of fresh air in this stuffy environment.

"Hello ma'am, we're here to see Prosecutor Nolfond, is he here?" Sapnap returned her polite smile as they made conversation as Dream began to look around the lobby. It felt so hard to breathe, as if the air was too above him to even bother entering his lungs. Maybe it was just his mask?

Before he knew it Sapnap was tugging at his sleeve. "C'mon, his office is on the fourth floor." Dream nodded and followed after him to the elevators. After a few minutes the doors opened and they stepped inside, Sapnap pressed the button labeled '4'. The doors slid shut and they began to ascend.

"This place is so awful. 'Couldn't imagine working here, I feel like even the walls are judging me." Dream shuddered. Sapnap simply chuckled, nodding his head in agreement.

A small ding signified that they reached the fourth floor and they stepped out of the elevator. "Nikki said his office is 404...ah, there it is." Sapnap spoke to himself as he walked up to the large dark oak door. A nameplate that read 'George Nolfond' sat upon the door, shining in the light.

The detective reached his hand out and twisted the knob, pushing the door open to reveal a dark room. There was someone inside, their face illuminated by the blue light of their computer screen. "George! You're going to hurt your eyes, dumbass!" Sapnap lightly scolded, turning on the light. George's eyes stayed glued to his screen. His outfit from earlier was covered by a light blue blanket, most likely to protect from the draft. "C'mon, dude, we came all the way here to drop off the file you left behind. Don't ignore us!" The detective closed the door and held out his hand to Dream, silently asking for the file.

Too bad he didn't notice and walked up to the desk to hand over the file himself. They made brief eye contact as George plucked the file from his grasp. "And why didn't you just drop this off alone?" He turned to Sapnap, expression matching his tired voice.

"Well I was going to, but this weirdo wouldn't stop bugging me about wanting to see you again. You should've seen it, George, he was all like 'Oh Sapnap, you handsome beast of a man, will you pleeeease take me to see that twinky prosecutor so I can give him this file like a knight in shining armor?' " Sapnap's voice rose into falsetto as a dopey grin fell across his face. The prosecutor's eyes burned holes in the back of Dream's head, and he assumed the worst until a quiet chuckle fell upon his ears.

"You've always been quite the storyteller, Nick-" George flipped his goggles over his forehead to rest in his brunette locks.

_ Just how well do these two know each other? _

"-though I find it quite hard to believe any of that happened." Dream turned to look at George again, the prosecutor typing away with a coy smile.

Sapnap yawned dramatically, stretching his arms behind his head to hold it up. "Detectives never lie, Georgie." The prosecutor snorted sharply, his attention turning away from his work. "Oh they don't? Okay mister 'he died from a single shot to the chest'! I still can't believe you actually presented the wrong autopsy report, wasted a solid ten minutes." He scoffed.

"Hey! It's not like I did it on purpose! Fucking Quackity put the reports like, right next to each other. Plus I was really high at the time but it was still mostly Quackity's fault." He turned his gaze towards the floor, face pouty and red. "Serves you right for showing up to court high off your mind like an idiot." George rolled his eyes. "Now can you two get out of here? I'm closing a case and I need to finish this report." His voice was filled with less amusement and more annoyance.

"Well, uh, actually there's something I want to- er...no, something I need to ask you about!" Dream absentmindedly slammed his hand on his desk, as he'd commonly do in court when punctuating his words. Brown and blue eyes flicked from his hand to his face, an eyebrow raised in questioning.

_ Reallll smooth, Dream _

George stared at him blankly. "If this has anything to do with why I wanted that file then I'm afraid I can't give you any information." He slipped his white goggles back over his eyes, signaling the end of the conversation. Or at least where he wanted it to end, but Dream wasn't one to let go so easily.

Dream lowered himself over the desk more, leaning closer towards the smaller. "Look," he lowered his voice so Sapnap couldn't hear, "I know you're hiding something, ok? And I don't take you as the criminal type. So just tell me what's going on, I could help." His tone was gentle, full of worry for a man he'd only met that afternoon.

"With what I've done, I'm no better than a criminal. This is my repentance. It's none of your business, and I certainly don't need your help." George whispered back with his lips set in a grim line.

Dream stared, stunned into silence by this revelation.

_ Did George actually commit a crime? Or is he just being dramatic? Why does this guy need to be so cryptic?! _

"Uh, hello? Did I disappear or something...?" Sapnap tugged on Dream's sleeve, snapping him out of his stupor. "C'mon, Dream. I think we should just leave him alone..." The detective's tone turned sad, and Dream took that as a sign to let this matter rest.

"Yeah. Let's go." The two men shuffled out of the office, leaving the heavy door to close behind them.

The walk back through the hallway was silent, giving Dream the chance to think about the multitude of events that happened in the past few hours. Could George possibly be a criminal? Was he looking back at a case where he should've been declared guilty? Or perhaps he was just being dramatic. Maybe he's trying to bring the case to court, having failed before.

_ Maybe Sapnap has more information... _

His eyes darted to the man trudging next to him. His eyes were tired, an oh-so persistent frown etched into his face only amplified his unease.

_ Though I should probably wait for a better time to ask him _

"So, you still up for burgers?"

Sapnap didn't reply, instead tilting his head down to stare at the floor.

"C'mon, Sappy Nappy. Sappitus Nappitus. Snapmap-" He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and looked to see Sapnap, struggling to fight off a smile. "Dude, shut up we're gonna get in trouble." He coughed and tried to force a straight face. "If you ever call me 'Snapmap' again we're gonna have issues." He scoffed, the grin finally breaking through.

"Tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours." Dream flicked him in the forehead, causing the shorter to chuckle softly. "I guess I should tell you, this whole situation has been eating away at me for some time..." Dream nodded, signaling Sapnap to continue.

"Well, ever since that case closed there's been unrest among some of us in the force. I mean, you see enough missing persons cases to know when something's off. Not only was that kid found way after the initial disappearance, uncommon among these cases, but everything about him and any solid way of identifying him was just...gone." He motioned with his hands exasperatedly. "And yet Schlatt, a total mercenary kinda guy, is the one to find him? I mean, I guess solving a crime like that was what sealed him in as the new Chief...but I just can't believe it. Anyways, I guess George also noticed something was weird because he started looking into it. That was around the time he started to be known as Prosecutor Notfound. Focusing on this case is tiring, I'd know as one of the detectives who was selected to assist in the searches." Sapnap sighed and folded his arms, worrying his lip between his teeth. "It's all so weird. George shouldn't be near that case, it was never brought to court so he has nothing to do with it. As his friend, I'm worried about him and how he's throwing his health out the window yet again to focus on a case. But...as a detective, I worry that he may have more to do with this than I initially thought."

Sapnap stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the button to call it up. Dream argued with himself internally, wanting to share with Sapnap what George had told him, but also wanting to put Sapnap's worries to rest, at least for the rest of the night.

_ He's been worrying about this for so long...he deserves a night off _

"Hey, I have an idea." Dream announced at the elevator doors opened, allowing them to step inside. "You remember Bad? He has this bakery downtown, and I'm not lying when I say that they have some of the best cake I've ever had. Maybe we can stop there after burgers...?" Sapnap's head perked up. Dream swore he could see a tail wagging behind the detective.

"I mean, since you're the one who brought it up then I  _ guess _ I have no other choice. It's rude to turn down an offer like that, especially when you offer to pay and all." He smirked, knocking his shoulder into Dream's. "Wha- I never offered to-!" He huffed in exasperation. "Fine, fine. I guess I'm the one who brought it up, after all."

The elevator doors opened again, and Dream almost ran into the person waiting there. A tall man with pink hair cascading down his back in an elegant braid. They stared at each other until Techno sighed, stepping out of the way for Dream to exit the elevator.

"Stepping down so easily, Techno? This is rare." Dream smirked, placing his hands on his hips in a bold stance. "Don't get me wrong, I love our little rivalry, but I'm not gonna stand here and look like an idiot in front of the prosecutors. I prefer to be taken seriously in court."

David Schwein, better known as Technoblade, was a fellow defense attorney. He was notorious for his almost perfect win record, feared more than practically every prosecutor he went up against. Respected by defense attorneys for his dedication and skill, respected by prosecutors for his tenacity and win record, respected by judges for his speedy and accurate trials. Everything made sense and nobody disagreed.

And although he was respected he wasn't well liked, being shunned for his serious attitude and introverted ways.

"Well I think you'd be able to win any case, even if the prosecutor saw you as a stubborn idiot." Techno scoffed, rolling his eyes as he stepped into the elevator. "He who cannot take himself seriously will never be seen as a threat in his enemy's eyes."

"And who said that?"

Techno shrugged.

"Someone, probably. And if they didn't then I did."

The doors slid shut causing an abrupt end to the conversation.

"Y'know, I never understood your guys' rivalry. You're on the same side!" Sapnap turned to walk out of the lobby. Dream followed after him. "That's a story for another time, when I'm not tired and hungry."

They slid into Sapnap's car and left the prosecutor's building. Unbeknownst to them, however, was the fact that the worst that night had to offer was yet to come.

...

The burgers were greasy and unhealthy but didn't fail to hit the spot, easing their worries that had popped up during the evening. It was a nice chance to relax and let the stress melt away.

They filed into Sapnap's car just as his phone buzzed, signalling an incoming call. The detective answered.

"...Yes sir, be right there."

He sighed and carded his fingers through his hair, earning a worried glance from Dream. "New case?" Sapnap simply nodded.

"Are you okay with coming along? I can't really delay going there but I could drop you off if you want-" Dream shushed him and shook his head. "No, I'll come with you. Is the scene an actual place or just an abandoned building?" The car's engine began purring as they backed out of the parking space.

"Uh, it’s this place called Halo's Baked Goods. So my best guess is that it's a bakery." Dream slammed his hand on the console. His eyes were wide with worry, like he just watched someone fall from a bridge. His response was loud and dripping with horror.

"Nick, that's the bakery that Bad owns!"

...

The car screeched to a halt just behind some police cars that were haphazardly parked in the area. The two exited the car, slamming the doors behind them as a man rushed towards them holding what looked to be fingerprint dusting materials. "Karl! What happened, can you fill me in?" Sapnap grabbed him by the shoulders.

Karl was on the forensics team, in charge of searching the crime scene head to toe for forensic evidence. That usually included dusting for prints and luminol tests. He and Sapnap often worked on cases together, Karl helping to provide forensic evidence while Nick found physical evidence and they helped eachother theories. They worked well.

Dream decided to try and find Bad, hoping and wishing that he wasn't the victim. His wishes were granted when he saw Bad being held back by police. He was sobbing, reaching out to a man who was being escorted into the police car in handcuffs. Bad was dressed in a duck onesie and Dream would have laughed if this whole situation wasn't so sad. He walked closer to hear what bad was yelling.

"No! Please, he didn't do this! He could never do anything like this! S'geppy!" He struggled against the officers holding him back, both wore an expression of guilt.

"Bad! Bad, what happened?" Dream ran forward and both officers backed up, allowing Bad to collapse into Dream, hugging the taller with all his strength. "It's all my fault! If I'd just stayed this wouldn't have happened!" He sobbed, burying his head into the taller's shoulder. Dream patted his back comfortingly as he cried hysterically.

They stayed like that for awhile, hugging as Bad let out his emotions, until Bad finally backed up. He rubbed his eyes and began to catch his breath. "I-I was gonna take the closing shift with S-skeppy, but I wasn't feeling well and he t-told me to go home. I didn't w-want to but he insisted so I caved and ended up l-leaving. Next thing I know he's c-calling me saying that cop cars began pulling up and I got here as fast as I could. 'Didn't even th-think about it, I just ran all the way here in my pajamas..." He sniffled, swiping his sleeve across his face.

Dream patted his back again, urging him to continue. Bad's voice was quiet and broken. "I don't even know what they think he did yet, and I know he doesn't either. Skeppy's a troublemaker, sure, but he'd never do anything that'd get him arrested... he'd never do anything to cause this..." He trailed off, eyes scanning his surroundings before landing on the cop car containing his best friend.

His eyes lit up and darted up to Dream again. "Wait! You're a defense attorney, yeah? Please defend Skeppy, I'm begging you! He's innocent, I just know it!" Bad pleaded, Dream silenced him with a pat to his shoulder.

"Of course I'll defend Skeppy! I trust you, and I’m sure he's innocent." Bad sighed in relief, spouting various 'thank you's as Dream soaked it up. It only boosted his ego slightly.

He turned to leave before Bad grabbed his sleeve. "W-wait! I know I'm already asking for alot...but I was wondering if you could help me see Skeppy? During trials the only people allowed to visit suspects are lawyers and immediate family...so if they think I'm your assistant..." He trailed off, but the picture was clear. Dream nodded "Sure. I'll be visiting him tonight, after I'm done here. Though I don't think they'd let you in if you were wearing a duck onesie, so maybe you should go home and change." He chuckled as Bad's face turned red. "Oh- right! Of course! I'll bring my car as well, since it looks like someone dropped you off and you don't seem to have any way to get around."

After a few more minutes of sorting things out, Bad began briskly walking back towards his apartment building.

Dream turned back towards the crime scene and let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

_ I'll prove Skeppy innocent...and find the real killer in the process. I'll make the culprit pay for committing this crime and pinning it on an innocent man _


End file.
